Pet Door Problems

If you've thought about a pet door but haven't yet purchased...

it may be because you're worried about pet door problems you might face.

Here are some common pet door problems AND their solutions:

• By far, the most important dog door problem is the possible danger to which you may be exposing your children. It is not at all uncommon for a child to crawl through a dog door into possible danger--most often a backyard pool. Before you install a dog door you must make sure that you are not exposing your child to peril. Please don't think that the pet door is too small for this to happen. Children can crawl through very tight spaces. You must test carefully if you are relying upon small size.
• The dangers to pets can be serious also. The general rule is that pets must only be allowed access to a controlled space where you can be sure of their safety. Dogs and cats roaming the neighborhood are a danger to themselves and possibly to others.
• You've got a tricky installation situation. Here are some examples of the more common installation problems and how to solve them.
• The pet door is going to leak and you'll freeze in the winter or lose all your cool air in the summer. You're right to worry about this! Here's an example of the leaky flap problem that will occurr with the majority of cat dorrs and dog doors sold every day. The solution: Get a pet door that seals very well. The Endura Flap pet doors have been tested from below zero to 130f without losing their seal.
• The pet door won't insulate. Same problem but not as serious as not sealing well. Endura Flap dog doors and cat doors won the coveted Fancy Publications Editors Choice Award for 2007.
• The aesthetics aren't good. It's true that most pet doors have a utilitarian look about them. Check out the Classy Custom Pet Portal line for an exception to this problem.
• You're worried that you'll spend a fortune replacing worn flaps. Solution: The Endura Flap dog doors have been tested to over 3 million times on our test machine and carry a 15 year warranty.
• You install a panel pet door and worry that when you want ventilation you're going to get bugs through the gap between the slider and the sliding screen (which is on a different track). Solution: check out the Bug Warden for a neat solution to this problem.
• You install a dog door and the dog tracks mud on your white carpet. It's a problem and no one has come up with a solution for it (except the 'mud room' if you've got one). If someone does, you'll find it here first.
• You can't install a pet door at all! Maybe you just don't have a place to put it. As a last resort, the Petsafe Smart Pet Doorbell gives you a way to know your pet wants in or out without barking or scratching.